[b]Bill Hansen Luxury Catering and Event Production[/b]

What is it that your firm has that your competition does not? What makes your firm unique. Before you jump in and say your food, service and experiences are best, think about this. This is exactly what your competitors are telling their clients.

To stand out your uniqueness must be specific and be clearly different than your competitors. The number one competitive advantage is your own venue. Whether you lease or own it, this will drive bridal, corporate and social clients to you. This is a clear advantage. There is only one venue like yours and if you’re blessed to have one, you’re way ahead of the game. Having more than one is even better. One northeastern caterer is exclusive at over 15 venues. Now that’s unique.

There’s another advantage to having your own venue or venues. Clients seek you out first and if your venue is not a good match for them, you can take them to other venues without exclusive caterers in your locale. [b]Take them, not just refer them[/b]. Taking them will give you a strong advantage over the competition. If you simply don’t have the time to go with them, call the venue manager and let them know that you’re sending over a client and to make sure to do all they can to support your catering firm. So many times, salespeople get lazy, say call so and so at such and such a place….and guess what, 9 times out of 10 you’ll never see them again.

So, Bill, I don’t have my own venue, what else do I have that is unique? This is when you need to dig down and dig deep. Ask your staff for suggestions. Hold a meeting with your team and see what they come up with. Years ago, I did this and we came up with 25 that were only unique to my firm. Here are a few ideas to ponder to help you define what is unique about your firm.

Celebrities and Political Figures for Whom You’ve Catered

Do You Have Staff Members Who Are Rock Stars, or Perhaps a Celebrity Chef on Your Team?

What Have Been Your Contributions to Local Charities and to the Catering Profession in General?

Have You Received Any Local or National Awards?

Do You Teach at a Local University or Appeared as a Guest Lecturer?

Have You Written Any Industry Articles?

If Your Google, Yelp, Wedding Wire and The Knot Ratings Are Primo—Promote Those

If You’re in an Area Where You Entertain Visitors from Other Parts of the World, Having Team Members Who Speak Different Languages Can be Huge
How Long Have You Been in Business?

These are just a few ideas to start the thought process. Once you’ve defined what they are, train your sales team, put them on your website, and include them in your marketing material. Just have great food and service is not enough! You need to convey why you’re unique and why clients should hire you. This is one huge secret to sales success. You can BANK on that.